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Amazon Banning Mobile Optimized Websites

by jxam69
5 replies
  • SEO
    • |
I had to re-read this a couple of times to be certain this is what they're doing.

Here's part of the updated Amazon Operating Agreement which comes into effect on July 1:

April 1, 2013 version
"7. You will not, without our express prior written approval, use any Content or Special Link, or otherwise link to the Amazon Site, on or in connection with any site or application designed or intended for use with a mobile phone or other handheld device (which prohibition does not apply to any site that is not designed or intended for use with such devices but that may be accessible by such devices (e.g., on a non-mobile-optimized site via an internet browser on a tablet device)), or any television set-top box (e.g., digital video recorders, cable or satellite boxes, streaming video players, blu-ray players, or dvd players) or Internet-enabled television (e.g., GoogleTV, Sony Bravia, Panasonic Viera Cast, or Vizio Internet Apps)."

July 1, 2013 version
"7. Except as agreed between you and us in a separate written agreement referencing this Participation Requirement, you will not use any Content or Special Link, or otherwise link to the Amazon Site, on or in connection with:

a. any client-side software application (e.g., a browser plug-in, helper object, toolbar, extension, or component or any other application executable or installable by an end user) on any device, including computers, mobile phones, tablets, or other handheld devices;

b. any site intended for use with a mobile phone, tablet, or other handheld device, which prohibition does not apply to any site that is not designed or intended for use with such devices but that may be accessible by such devices (e.g., on a non-mobile-optimized site via an internet browser on a tablet device); or

c. any television set-top box (e.g., digital video recorders, cable or satellite boxes, streaming video players, blu-ray players, or dvd players) or Internet-enabled television (e.g., GoogleTV, Sony Bravia, Panasonic Viera Cast, or Vizio Internet Apps)."

So what does this mean for websites employing responsive design which dynamically change the CSS to alter the layout when being viewed by a mobile device, as opposed to having a separate mobile version of the website?
#amazon #banning #mobile #optimized #websites
  • Profile picture of the author yukon
    Banned
    Looks like that mobile site deal can get people banned because most new sites are mobile ready.

    Most new WP themes are responsive, which is for phones, tablets, etc...

    I wonder why Amazon would even have that in their TOS, doesn't make sense since everyone owns a phone.
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    • Profile picture of the author paulgl
      Here's my reasons. Mobile sites and affiliates are nightmares.
      As of now, that is. It's probably due to a number of issues that
      arise when trying to track sales. Just a guess.

      There is no reason to have a mobile site anyway in 2013. My
      2 year old samsung has a full fledged browser and I hate the
      mobi sites anyway. People really go for apps, not mobile sites
      anyway.

      It really is there to protect you. They probably had a slew of
      complaints about sales.

      No reason for anyone using a tablet to not have a full browser.
      And if you spring for an iphone or galaxy, how lame is it to
      be viewing stuff that's 2005ish?

      Amazon is at a crossroads when it comes to mobile. Probably
      related to the new terms.

      But they are not really new terms when it comes to mobile sites.

      Paul
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  • Profile picture of the author jxam69
    I can understand the ban on apps - they can do dogey things the user doesn't even know about.

    But I'm still trying to wrap my head around this - do they mean to include responsive design or not?

    I'm going to email them for clarification.

    Who knows - perhaps they want to phase out affiliates by starting with the highest growth area. It would reduce their affiliate fees, but make them more dependent on search traffic - do they really want Google holding their off switch?
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  • Profile picture of the author Stevie C
    I read it that it can be Mobile responsive but not designed specifically for a mobile device.

    I took this off another thread where someone had contacted Amazon;

    I finally got a straight answer from them. If the site you create has mobile-specific coded content that is different from your "main" site, they won't pay commissions. If your "regular" site just "happens" to look good in a mobile device (phone or tablet), then they consider it the same site and it's okay.

    and this is from a post from Kezz on her Amazillionaire theme WSO thread

    WP Amazillionaire is "Responsive" in the strict sense of the term, rather than having a mobile version.

    Basically, there's two ways sites detect mobile devices.

    One, is they use a script to detect the viewing device and then redirect visitors to an appropriate secondary version of their site or a secondary theme on their site. We don't do this.

    Two, is they detect the size of the browser window, regardless of specific device, and then rearrange and resize themselves to suit the available space in the browser viewport. This is what we do.

    So with this theme it's the exact same site, the same content, and the same actual theme being displayed on mobile devices. All that changes is the CSS applied to the site, in order to make everything fit inside the smaller displays of tablet and phone browser windows.

    This is simple things like column sizes and image widths reduced, font sizes reduced, layout dimensions reduced and so on.

    So I take it that responsive themes are fine

    Stevie c
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  • Profile picture of the author jxam69
    Thanks Steve.

    Just before reading this I had a phone conversation with the Amazon Associate team and they basically said the same thing.

    Specifically, if the site is responsive to browser window size and only the layout changes rather than the content, then that is not what they consider to be a mobile site under section 7b.

    The minor changes in the wording do not change their intent in this regard.
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